Ripples
by J. Watson
Summary: Following the events of the BTVS novel "The Book of Fours," Buffy grapples with almost losing Willow and what it means to be the Slayer. Meanwhile, her predecessor India Cohen now finds herself on the Ghost Roads. What lies before India in the barren terrain?


Buffy's hands were still trembling from the battle.

"Are you all right, Buffy?" asked a concerned Giles.

"It could've turned out really bad, Giles," said Buffy. "I don't know what I would've done if we lost Will."

"Buffy, Willow and Cordelia knew the risk. Despite that, they bravely put themselves in the front lines. If we didn't have the combined abilities of India and Kendra, we might have lost the battle."

"I know…I just…I'm starting to understand why Slayers work alone, Giles."

"Then you finally understand my apprehension when you told Willow and Xander about your calling," said Giles.

"I wasn't thinking at the time, Giles," said Buffy, as she planted herself on the front steps of her porch. "I lost Merrick before I met you. The guy who was my friend bailed on me for greener pastures. I wanted to have a normal life…friends…only I didn't want to be the uber-queen bitch that I used to be in L.A. I wanted to actually have a real connection with somebody my own age."

"A Slayer's life is a lonely one. The Council thought that having a Watcher would be enough for guidance," said Giles.

Buffy looked up at Giles. She hoped that he wouldn't take it personal that he wasn't enough for her.

"But many of them are bloody stuffy, and forgot what it is like to be an adolescent," said Giles. "To be honest, Buffy, I was not the most stellar young man. You are actually far more responsible than I was. I was careless in my actions. I entered the supernatural world lost. But thankfully, I matured and found my path."

"Wow, I'm more responsible than you. Just when I thought tonight couldn't get any weirder," said Buffy.

"Well, I would not get used to it if I were you. We need to work on your sword skills," said Giles.

"I suppose my beheading skills are lacking," said Buffy. She tried to make a joke out of the situation. It was a lame attempt. Out of all the killings she had to do as a Slayer, Buffy would have to live with taking a human life. Yes, the human life was Cecile Lafitte, a sinister woman that raised the Servants to kill Buffy and Faith. It was the same beings who murdered Lucy Hanover and India. Plus, Cecile also spooked Kendra so much that Kendra developed a death wish.

"But before we do that, take a few days off" said Giles, "To give you a chance to spend some time with Willow while she recuperates."

"That's mighty generous of you, Giles. Before this whole mess, I would've been dancing on car roofs with happy feet," said Buffy. She stood up tall to face Giles. "But the happy feet will have to wait. I have to prepare myself well enough that if this happens again, I can behead with the best of them."

"Well put," said Giles, as he took off his glasses to polish them. "So, I will see you tomorrow morning at eight sharp?"

"More like two in the afternoon sharp," responded Buffy, "I have to…"

A ripple shot through the fabric of reality.

Buffy stumbled on her words for a moment.

"…I have to take Dawn to the mall. She has a Girl Scouts thing," said Buffy.

"All right, one sharp," said Giles.

As Buffy walked through her front door, she wondered what became of India. She was supposed to feel each Slayer that came before her. Yet, Buffy couldn't connect to India. Was this the way it ended for Slayers? You're around for a while to do a job, and then you die, and life goes on like you never existed? Buffy already knew the answer to that. Slayers have existed since the dawn of time. It's not like every single girl got her props.

Regardless of how unfair the world was, Buffy felt that there should be some vindication for expired Slayers. Could the universe at least start with India?

* * *

India Cohen's eyes shot open. She pulled back her ebony hair—only to see a dusty road before her. _This is different…when you compare it to impending waves of doom_, she thought.

"It's about time you woke up."

Instinctively, India sprang up for battle.

"Put the fists down, girl, I'm not going to hurt you," said the origin of the voice. It was a Mexican girl sitting on a rock.

"Who are you?" asked India, "And where the hell am I?"

"You know, it's funny, the Watchers tell us we're all connected to each other."

"Come again?" asked India, feeling both intrigued and peeved.

"Yeah, I probably should introduce myself. My name is Hilda Gonzalez—the girl that came before you."

"The Congara girl?"

Hilda sighed and rolled her eyes. "Yes, the Congara girl. Did they put that by my name or something? Lucy Hanover said the same thing."

"Yeah, I guess so," said India, looking at her surroundings. No immediate threats, so the girl must be telling the truth.

"Sorry, this must be strange for you. Let's start over, okay. Hi, my name is Hilda Gonzalez, the Vampire Slayer that came before you. And you are?"

"India Cohen."

"Nice to meet you, India."

"Right," said India, shaking Hilda's hand. "So where are we exactly?"

"Purgatory," said Hilda.

"Purgatory, huh. Somehow that doesn't sound so pleasant," said India, looking at the dusty road again.

Hilda and India continued down the dirt road. It snaked for miles without a destination in sight. But what was once bare land was suddenly surrounded by Mangrove trees—as if they were in a rainforest. There were also traces of Bengal bamboo, intermixed with the Mangroves.

"So you said we're in purgatory. It feels odd. I always imagined a dark, desolate place" asked India.

"I thought the same thing too. At first, it was just the road. Then suddenly, all these trees started appearing out of nowhere."

"It's like we're creating them," said India, as she touches a Mangrove.

Hilda thinks for a moment. "Yeah, you're right. But we shouldn't be here for long."

"What does that mean?" asked India.

"I'm not sure. It was something that Lucy Hanover told me."

"So…Lucy told you to keep walking the yellow bare road," said India sarcastically.

"Do you really think I'd be taking you nowhere? We have a destiny together, you and I."

"I don't understand."

"American girls. Does everything have to be spelled out? You see a dirt road, right?" asked Hilda, using her fingers to comb sand out of her hair.

"Yeah…and."

"And the road is going to lead us somewhere. Now do you get it?"

"Wow, a road that leads somewhere. You've completely enlightened me."

"You'll know it when we get there," Hilda states, pushing India in a sisterly manner, "Besides, do you really have anything else to do?"

"No, not really," India said, "Wait, what happened to that girl, Willow, and the others?"

"They all made out all right."

"So, Kit made it," said India, a trace of sadness in her voice.

"Yes, your boyfriend made it out alive," said Hilda, "And you managed to save the world."

"That's what we all do right…one girl in the entire world," said India.

* * *

There was now silence between them. To spare herself from the monotonous walking, India focused on the animals around her. She could see Quetzals and Toucans in the trees. _I wonder what they eat_, thought India, _these trees look bare_. No sooner had the thought crossed India's mind that branches starting blossoming with papayas and bael. India could see some Jambu Fruit Doves high in the trees, attending to their young. Misty rain fell over everything, and felt it like cotton on India's face.

"I've been hearing that's all going to change someday."

"From who?"

"Who else? Lucy. You know, for a girl that's been dead since the Civil War, she's real humorous. You know she went out like you did, right?"

"Yeah, I heard something about that. I don't want to sound rude, but what was it like…"

"With the Congara demon? It was an accident."

"An accident? Didn't he rip your head off?"

"We were friends. We got a little tipsy. He'd been wanting to kiss me for a while. He leaned towards me, and the next thing I know, everything goes black. Then, I'm here on the Ghost Roads."

"Really? That's how you died," exclaimed India, her eyes echoing disbelief.

"Accidents happen, you know," said Hilda, matter-of-factly, "Ah, too bad, it would've been my first kiss."

"Wow, I can't believe you're handling it so well. But I know what you mean…the first kiss means everything."

"So, were you ever kissed by Kit—your Watcher?" asked Hilda, raising her eyebrows.

"Don't look at me like that. Okay, we might have kissed once. Well, I think it was when I possessed that girl. Either way, it was nice," said India, giggling afterwards.

"Oh, you little hussy. At least yours was nice."

"So, Hilda, when were you called?" asked India.

"I was 18, if you could believe it. It was a shame because I was heading off to California. I wanted to attend San Diego State University. I was going to major in chemistry. So much for that dream."

"Well, at least you did some good," said India, trying her best to console Hilda.

"I suppose so. Only I lasted for about a year. I should've been careful about who I was kissing."

"Did you have a Watcher?" asked India.

"I spoke to him three times on the phone. He had this funny accent. I don't think he really liked Mexico or Mexicans, so he never came to visit."

"You got screwed then, in the Watcher department," said India.

"I guess so. But really, my heart wasn't in the Slayer business. It was just as well that it went to you."

"I don't know. I don't think I did that great. Sure, I stopped that swarm of Japanese vampires. After that, I became Wanderer kebob."

"Still, you got to give yourself credit for it," said Hilda.

"So should you," said India.

"No," said Hilda, shaking her head, "I was always hoping for that moment. I lost my parents when I was still a kid, so I just had my dreams."

"Same here. Except I still had my parents. It just seemed like they wanted something completely different for me."

A Bengal Tiger suddenly appeared before them. India flinched with fear, and looked sideways at Hilda. Hilda looked relaxed, and had a large smile on her face.

"Shouldn't we be scared of the tiger?" asked India.

"India, don't you know who it is? I finally feel the Slayer connection now. It's Sineya, the First Slayer."

Upon looking at the tiger's eyes, a jolt of energy went through India's body. She could see all the Slayers, extending as far back to Sineya. Her strength and energy was primal, yet motherly.

"We need to follow Sineya. She will lead us to our destiny."

Sineya, in her Bengal Tiger form, led Hilda and India through the trees. The leaves brushed against their faces, and the climate was vaporous. Suddenly, India could feel the wind changing speed around her.

"Hilda, what is that?" asked India.

There was a large waterfall before Hilda and India. Sineya faced it, and then turned to both girls. Just as quick as she appeared, Sineya crouched down and leapt into the trees—disappearing into the mist.

"We're finally here, India…this is our destiny," said Hilda, almost in a whisper.

"Our destiny…I don't understand," said India, afraid to walk closer to the edge, "Besides, I haven't had the best luck with cliffs and water."

"Don't worry. You and me, we're getting a second chance."

"Second chance?" asked India, unable to take her eyes off the immense waterfall. It pulsated with the winds.

"We get to be reborn. We've been the simple girls for too long now, India. We get to have our big dreams."

"Okay, but what does that mean for us? Do we just disappear?" asked India.

"It's like ripples in a pond. We carry less of ourselves as we grow into bigger things."

Hilda looked India in the eyes. She noticed the fear in her eyes.

"We carry parts of ourselves into the next life. We've been doing that. We're Slayers. In our own ways, we have carried a part of the girl that came before us."

"How did you know about this place?" asked India.

"I didn't. Lucy just told me to keep walking. I didn't know that Sineya would appear. This must have been offered to her, but she chose to remain on the Ghost Roads. She probably knows that it will always be here for her when the time comes."

"Where will we go, Hilda?" asked India, mesmerized by the porcelain-like glean of the waterfall.

"I don't know, India. That's the fun of it. We can come back as anybody."

"Can I be with Kit again?" asked India—a happy inflection in her voice. She turned to smile at Hilda. But she knew by Hilda's reaction that it wasn't to be.

"There's a catch to being reborn. We sever all ties with the ones we knew and loved."

"But why? That isn't fair. That isn't fair at all."

"We join with different people. We make ripples in a different pond."

"But…I want to make ripples in the pond I'm already in. I just…" India turned away from Hilda to hide her tears.

"You have to let go of him, India," murmured Hilda, "We all feel love for a time."

"But I can't," said India in a cracked voice.

"Kit will always love you, but he will move on. He'll find a wife, he'll have children, and he'll age and die."

India heaved. "I can't leave my parents, too, Hilda."

"They would understand, India. They would want this for you."

"I don't want to do this alone. I don't think I can."

"That's why we're going together. To be strong for each other."

Hilda grabbed India's hand. At first, India resisted. But then, she grabbed Hilda's hand in silent desperation.

"We have to go now, India."

She turned towards the waterfall.

"Okay," said India, as she straightened her body.

Hilda and India—two lonely, simple girls—no longer had to wait to dream. All they had to do was jump.

* * *

Miami, Florida—June 15, 2020

On the shore, a Cuban boy traced letters on the sand. His brother stood on the shore, staring at his watch nervously.

"Come on, Elian, we're going to be late."

"Relax, all right, I'm almost done."

"What is with you, huh, why are you always writing stuff all over the place?"

"Okay, I'm done. Let's go."

"I can't believe you. Mom and dad will kill us if we're late. It's going to start in five minutes."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, Anier. It's going to be all right. You'll see," Elian tousled his twin brother's hair.

"Hey!" exclaimed Anier, as he chased his brother along the shore. Their laughter echoed in the sunset.

The waves set in as night approaches. Like a gentle hand, they slowly erased what has been written on the shore—K I T.


End file.
